IMPHAL, August 21: Dr. Najma A Heptulla was sworn in as first ever lady Governor of Manipur since its statehood at a solemn function in Darbar Hall, Imphal, Raj Bhavan on Sunday.
Chief Justice (Acting) of High Court of Manipur, Rakesh Ranjan Prasad, administered the oath of office and secrecy to the 18th Governor of Manipur during the brief and simple function held at 11:30 a.m.
Manipur Chief Minister O Ibobi, Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam, and his council of ministers, MLAs including opposition MLAs and other state BJP leaders besides high level state officials were also present at the day’s well attended function. Three MPs of Manipur in Parliament including Rajya Sabha MP MC Mary Kom were present during the day’s ceremony. Mary Kom also presented a Kom tribe sarong and a shawl to the new Governor soon after the swearing in ceremony.
Heptulla, who will be Manipur’s fifth governor since May 2014, when the NDA government came to power, speaking to media soon after the day’s swearing in ceremony, said, “Manipur is far away from Delhi but it is not far away from our hearts. Prime Minister also feels that you are very close to us, that’s why I came here to the people of Manipur.”
Doctorate in Zoology, Dr. Heptulla was elected to the Rajya Sabha in July 1980 and became the longest serving Deputy Chairperson of Rajya Sabha since 1985 onwards. She was Union Minister of Minority Affairs from May 26, 2014 to July 12, 2016.
She will be replacing former Governor V Shanmuganathan. Former home secretary, VK Duggal, had also resigned from Imphal Raj Bhavan within months of the change of guard in Delhi. KK Paul was initially given additional charge of the state. Later, Syed Ahmed, the Jharkhand governor appointed by the UPA, was sent to Manipur in May 2015. He died months later. Meghalaya governor V Shanmuganathan was also asked to hold charge of Manipur.
